Recording mostly live, the band released its debut, Almost Killed Me, on French Kiss Records in March 2004 and Separation Sunday a year later. In April 2006 the band signed to Vagrant Records and entered the studio on the 1st of May to begin work on their third record, Boys and Girls in America. Released in October, it was one of the most critically acclaimed records of 2006 and reached a much larger audience than its predecessors.
The band released their fourth album, Stay Positive, recorded again with Boys and Girls in America producer John Agnello. Nicolay left the group and on May 4, 2010 the band released their fifth studio album, Heaven Is Whenever, recorded with producer Dean Baltulonis.
On July 15, 2008, Stay Positive was released. It debuted at #30 on the Billboard 200. It debuted on the UK Album Chart at #15 on July 20, the third-highest new entry. It ranked #1 on the UK Indie Chart. The album was named the best of 2008 by Entertainment Weekly. The song "Constructive Summer" was number 56 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Best Songs of 2008.
Their seventh album, Thrashing Thru the Passion, was released in 2019. Among its songs, "Entitlement Crew" and "Confusion in the Marketplace," were considered standouts.
Rock Problems
The Hold Steady Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But no one is in any shape to drive.
So we called up your guy and when he comes we're gonna ask for a ride.
We get to the place.
And she don't want to dance.
She says she's not really into this track.
She wants to know what's going on in the room
Back home we were listening to Catholic Boy.
I got hung up on people who died.
I didn't even want to go out because I was way too fried.
She said I just can't sympathize with your rock and roll problems.
Isn't this what we wanted?
Some major rock and roll problems.
That one girl got me cornered in the kitchen.
I said I'll do anything but clean.
She wants to know what I liked better
Being a trash bin or an ice machine?
Some writer is by the fridge.
He said he didn't make the gig.
We wants to know if I was drunk.
He said the kids that he knows from the net said the sound kind of sucked.
I didn't want to stay in.
Because the walls are so grey.
You can almost feel the tentacles tighten.
I didn't even want to go out because I was way too frightened.
She said I just can't sympathize with your rock and roll problems.
Isn't this what we wanted?
Some major rock and roll problems.
Didn't want to go out but it felt really right
When someone put on Heaven Tonight.
Had a moment in the middle of
In Color and In Black and White.
Sing along to the Southern Girls.
Rip me out of my little world.
These are rock and roll problems.
This is just what we wanted.
We got some rock and roll problems
The Hold Steady's song Rock Problems speaks to the excitement and challenges that come with being involved in rock and roll culture. The lyrics depict a group of friends trying to navigate the ups and downs of a social scene that is fueled by drugs, alcohol, music, and self-destruction. The singer and his friend are trying to get to a party, but they are too intoxicated to drive themselves. Instead, they call someone to come and give them a ride.
At the party, there are moments of boredom, tension, and confusion. The singer's friend is disinterested in the music and wants to investigate what is happening in the back room. The singer himself is hung up on thoughts of death and despair. He would rather stay at home and listen to Catholic Boy, but he feels like he has to prove himself by going out and participating in the scene. Throughout the night, the characters encounter other people with their own issues and agendas. There is a girl who wants the singer to do something for her, a writer who is unsatisfied with the sound quality, and a general sense of unease that is palpable in the atmosphere.
The song is an exploration of the contradictions and complexities that can emerge when people are trying to fit into a certain subculture or scene. It is a commentary on the ways in which individuals use drugs, music, and socializing to try and escape from reality, while simultaneously confronting some of the harsh realities that they face in their own lives. The "rock and roll problems" that the lyrics reference are both a source of excitement and a burden, a challenge to overcome and a reason to keep going.
Line by Line Meaning
The girls want to go to the party.
The singer and their friends want to attend a party.
But no one is in any shape to drive.
The singer and their friends are too intoxicated to drive to the party.
So we called up your guy and when he comes we're gonna ask for a ride.
The group plans to call their driver to give them a ride to the party.
We get to the place.
The group arrives at the party location.
And she don't want to dance.
One of the girls in the group is not interested in dancing.
She says she's not really into this track.
The girl does not like the music that is currently playing at the party.
She wants to know what's going on in the room
The girl is curious about the activity happening in a different room of the party.
That's all the way in the back.
The room that the girl is curious about is located at the back of the party location.
Back home we were listening to Catholic Boy.
The artist and their friends were listening to music by Jim Carroll at home.
I got hung up on people who died.
The artist was emotionally attached to the subject matter of the music they were listening to.
I didn't even want to go out because I was way too fried.
The singer did not want to attend the party due to being too tired/intoxicated.
She said I just can't sympathize with your rock and roll problems.
One of the girls in the group does not understand or relate to the issues faced by those involved in the rock and roll industry.
Isn't this what we wanted?
The singer questions whether the issues that come with rock and roll are desirable to pursue or not.
Some major rock and roll problems.
The singer acknowledges that problems within the rock and roll industry are significant.
That one girl got me cornered in the kitchen.
The singer is trapped in the kitchen by one of the girls in the group.
I said I'll do anything but clean.
The artist is trying to avoid having to do any cleaning in the kitchen.
She wants to know what I liked better
The girl is curious about the artist's preference between two options.
Being a trash bin or an ice machine?
The two options that the girl is asking about relate to the singer's occupation and role at the party.
Some writer is by the fridge.
A writer is present at the party, near the fridge where drinks are stored.
He said he didn't make the gig.
The writer did not show up to a scheduled event or performance.
We wants to know if I was drunk.
The writer asks the artist if they are intoxicated.
He said the kids that he knows from the net said the sound kind of sucked.
The writer has received negative feedback about the sound quality of a recent music event.
I didn't want to stay in.
The singer did not want to remain at the party location.
Because the walls are so grey.
The surroundings of the party do not provide visual stimulation or enjoyment for the artist.
You can almost feel the tentacles tighten.
The atmosphere of the party feels confining and constricting to the singer.
I didn't even want to go out because I was way too frightened.
The singer is too afraid to leave the party location, but also too scared to remain there.
Didn't want to go out but it felt really right
The singer did not feel like leaving the party, but ultimately decides to do so anyway.
When someone put on Heaven Tonight.
The artist hears a song by Cheap Trick, titled 'Heaven Tonight'.
Had a moment in the middle of
The artist experiences a realization or significant emotion while listening to the music.
In Color and In Black and White.
The singer hears another song by Cheap Trick, titled 'In Color and In Black and White'.
Sing along to the Southern Girls.
The singer enjoys singing along to a song by Cheap Trick, titled 'Southern Girls'.
Rip me out of my little world.
The artist becomes engrossed in the party atmosphere and breaks free from their previous mindset.
These are rock and roll problems.
The issues that the artist and their friends have experienced at the party are indicative of the difficulties that come with advancing in the rock and roll industry.
This is just what we wanted.
Despite the challenges they have encountered, the group is still enjoying the party experience.
We got some rock and roll problems.
The singer acknowledges that the issues they have faced at the party are representative of the problems that exist in the rock and roll industry.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Reservoir One Music
Written by: CRAIG FINN, TAD KUBLER, JOHN REIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind